Rest is sacred.
What do your rest days look like? Do you fill them with all of the forgotten tasks of other days? Do you try to relax and unwind but internally agonize because of all the things you’ve put off? Do you even have a designated day(s) of rest? What if I told you that rest days are just as important, if not more so, than work days? What I said that even just one full day of recuperation and relaxation could help prevent burnout, while making you a more productive and happier person? If you’re someone who is a workaholic with perfectionist tendencies, then I’m talking to you:
Grind Culture has taught so many of us that if we are not working our fingers to the bone, at all times, then we will not succeed, and do not deserve to. Many of us were raised by parents who called demanded maximum effort at all times, and so we actually feel guilty for taking long-overdue breaks. Overwork, similar to work procrastination, is yet another symptom of low self-esteem. Many workaholics have a deep-seated belief that the measure of their worth as a person is determined by their output and labour. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you have value, inherent value as a person, outside of whatever you can contribute to others. Don’t narrow your worth down to your labour, and instead, honour the entirety of who you are as a person. Honour your need for rest, for care, and for peace.